Last updated 13:32, Thursday, 14 August 2008

I WAS interested to read that the Hexham traders had submitted a report to Tynedale Council’s cabinet on suggested improvements to the town (Courant, August 1).

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End of an era: The last schools’ gala at Hexham’s old swimming pool.

This is all well and good, but before lobbying for the provision of dry ski slopes, electric trams to Tesco, sacrificing the paved setting of the Abbey for extra parking bays; and promoting multi-storey car parks on the Wentworth, it might be better if the traders lobbied for a few slightly more basic improvements.

I’d suggest that more realistic targets might include getting the tourist 'finger post signs' at the Wentworth and Market Place re-erected vertically, instead of their current 70 degree angle; getting the broken paving slabs across the town centre repaired, promptly and with skill (stone please, not tarmac or concrete!); unblocking the road drains around Meal Market and the Shambles so they actually absorb water; and getting rid of the “pedestrian guard rails” (the engineers call them “cattle pens”), that force pedestrians in front of the train station to detour into the road.

These simple changes might make visitors to Hexham feel that the basic issues of the town are being thought about in advance of other more fanciful suggestions.

ROGER HIGGINS,

Priestpopple,

Hexham